do you use liquid starch to make your own...I love the smells of Mary Ellen

:lol:

I was at a quilt workshop last week and subject of starch came up. Many of us said we used Mary Ellen's Best Press. I really like and so does my hubby when he has to iron a shirt....maybe I ought to hide it just for quilting....One of the ladies said, why would you buy Mary Ellen's at the high price, there is a recipe for her starch on the internet....QNNTV or something. Has anyone see this recipe. By the way, $29 was a great price for a gallon. You can get the spray bottle at Hancock's for $4.99 if you would to try it. No Flakes! this is why the hubby likes it.
D in TX

I've been looking for the gallon size....use alot of it...did you know that if you let regular spray starch sit for a minute and soak in you will get no flakes...another of those tidbits at a quilt class LOL

Thanks for all that info. I just started starching stuff too. Its really a good habit to get into. Instead of grabbing my water bottle I grab the starch. The quilter likes it when people use starch too. Huh Shelley. :thumbup:

Okay, I am going to try using starch. I can sure see the benefits from what everyone has said.

My question is whether you starch the fabric before cutting it out. I'm guessing it would be more manageable then, but does it take long? I'm always short of time, but maybe it saves time in the long run.

Hi Nancy. I am Marta, from Pittsburg, Ks.
I belong to our local Quilt Guild. The subject of starching has come up several times. This is the consensus of opinion on it.
Always use the Sizing, as starch draws bugs to our quilts, and the sizing doesn't. Sizing makes the fabric easier to stitch and gives it a nice, crisp finish.
Good luck with your quilt!

Please explain the difference between sizing and starch?

I prewash the fabric remove from the washer and starch heavy, but I use the liquid starch, much cheaper than the spray.

I use 4 to 5 cups of starch to 1 cup of water.

Soak for a few minutes, squish it all around making sure the fabric is soaked good, then squeeze it out and throw it in dryer.

When done starching the fabric I just pour it back into the container, mark the starch container diluted.

If you are going to do light and dark fabrics, do the light first. If you have lots of starch in your bowl after doing the light fabrics then put some it back in the bottle before putting your dark fabric in the starch just in case if fades a bit.

I got a oblong plastic container at Walmart.

Good luck and enjoy
Pam

This is a great idea!

Thanks everybody for the questions & answers to starching. I'm working on my first flannel quilt & used your advice to starch. What a great trick. I've been talking to my fellow quilters here in the neighborhood & nobody had heard about it. Thank you all for the great lessons I get from you. Pat